Combination cushioned flat and filler.



W. MERKER. COMBINATION OUSHIONED FLAT AND FILLER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28. 1 912.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

INVENTUR William Marker BY WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MERKEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINATIONCUSHIONED FLAT .AND FILLER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MERKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventeda new and 1mproved Combination Cushioned Flat and Filler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to egg carriers provided with foldable or collapsible fillers formed of interlocked strips providing individual cells for the eggs, and its object is to provide a new and improved cushioned fiat and filler arranged to reduce breakage of the eggs-while in the egg carrier to a minimum and to protect the members form ing the filler from being bent or broken, thus insuring long life of the egg carrier and permitting its re-use for a long period.

In order to accomplish the desired result use is made of cushions mounted on the flat for theeggs to rest on, and interlocking strips of cardboard or similar material and forming cells each having one of the said cushions at the bottom, the interlocking strips running in one direction being pro-' vided at the top edges with reinforcing bindings of metal or the like, and the interlocking strips running in the opposite direction being provided at the bottom with reinforcing bindings.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in

which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an egg carrier provided with the improved cushioned flat and filler; Fig. 2 is a plan view of part of the same; and Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional perspective view of part of the combination cushioned flat and filler; The cushioned fiat A and the filler B for providing individual cells for the eggs are arranged in tiers in a crate or box C of the usual construction. The flat A formed of cardboard or other suitable material is provided on its upper face with cushions in the form of platforms D made of cardboard or other material, each platform being provided at opposite sides with integral arms D inclined inwardly and downwardly and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 28, 1912.

Serial No. 739,067.

face of the fiat A. It is understood that a cushion is provided at each cell formed by the filler B so that each egg rests on a platform D, and as the latter is free to yield the egg is not liable to be broken while the egg carrier containing the eggs is in transit.

The filler B is formed of the usual intersecting, longitudinal and transverse strips B and B of cardboard or other suitable material, and interlocked with each other in the usual manner by providing the strip B at the intersections with the strip B with slots B extending from the bottom upward, and by providing the strip B at the intersection with the strip B with slots B extending from the top downward. By the arrangement described the upper edges of the strips B are continuous from one end to the other, and the said upper edges are bound and reinforced by bindings E, preferably in the form of U-shaped metallic bars extending the entire length of the said upper edges of the strips B. In a like manner the lower and bottom edges of the strips B are continuous and are bound and reinforced by bindings E and extend the entire length of the said lower edges of the strips B 1 By the arrangement described the bindings E rest on the upper surface of the bottom fiat A while the next flat A for the following tier rests on the bindings E of the strips B, and the terminals of the metallic bindings E, 1 abut against the sides and ends of the box C so that the strips B and B are not liable to be injured especially at the ends thereof. By reinforcing the strips B and B of the filler B the latter is rendered exceedingly strong and durable and the upper strips F form a firm support for the fiat A of the next tier above.

By reference to the drawings it will be noticed that the cushions D are approximately square when viewed in plane and spaced apart and the cushions are arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows spaced apart to-form intersecting grooves for the reception of the lower edges of the strips B and B of the filler whereby the filler is practically centered on the flat and held against collapsing, and each cell contains a single cushion D for an egg to rest on:

By reference to Figs. 1 'and 3, it will be bottom flat A, while the upper edges of the strips B are below the top edges of the hind- Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

ings E, and hence the member below the next following flat A and the other unprotected portions of the strips B and B are not liable to be injured when the fillers are in use in .the crate or box C. By this construction also ventilating openings are formed at the top and bottom of each of the fillers.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a cushion is provided for each cell and each filler has its strips protected to insure long life'of the filler and permitting its re-use for a long period. It is understood that the filler when not in use can be folded flat in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

An egg carrier having a plurality of cells formed by longitudinal and transverse strips, the strips extending in one direction having their upper edges bound with U- shaped metallic bars and provided with slots extending from the bottom upwardly, and the strips extending in the other direction having their lower edges bound with similar bars and provided with slots extending from the top downwardly, the sets of strips being interlocked, with the binding bars of the strips of one set at the top and the binding bars of the strips of the other set at the bottom, the binding bars of one set projecting beyond the unbound edges of the other set.

In testimony whereof I have signed my WILLIAM MERKER.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. Hos'rER, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs. 

